Grain separating and cleaning machine.



No. 673,875. Patented lay l4, |90|. J. S.JORDAN.

GRAIN SEPARATING AND CLEANING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 18, 1900.! (No Nndal.) 3 Sheets-Shoal I.

No. 673,875. Patented May 14', I901. J. s. JORDAN. GRAIN SEPARATING AND CLEANING MACHINE.

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No. 573,875. Patented May I4, I9UI.

J. 8. JORDAN.

GRAIN SEPARATING AND CLEANING MACHINE.

(Application filed June 18. 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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NORRIS :Rs 00., PHOTO L|THO.. WASNINOY NiTED STATES FFICE.

' ATET JULIUS SIDNEY JORDAN, OF MAPLE, SOUTH CAROLINA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,875. dated May 14, 1901.

A li ati filed June 18, 1900. berlal No. 20,748. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that T, Jones SIDNEY J OR- DAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maple, in the county of Oolleton and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and useful Grain Separating and Cleaning Machine, of which the following is a specifica tion.

This invention relates to grain separating and cleaning machines, and has special reference to an improved machine of this character which may be properlytermed a shaking-bolt and which possesses special utility in the separation and cleaning of grist and meal.

To this end the invention contemplates a simple and practical form of separating-machine having means for effectively separating good stock from foreign matter, While at the same time providing for a thorough cleaning thereof and its separation into the desired number of grades.

A further object of theinvention is-to equip the machine with improved means for causing the stock to travel evenly in a uniform path throughout the length of the separatingshoe, while at the same time causing the same to be evenly spread or distributed over the screen-floor of the shoe in order to insure not only a thorough separating action, but also causing the screen-floor to be kept clean and free from clogs.

Another object of the invention is to associate with the machine an improved feeding device for evenly and automatically feeding the stock to be treated into the extreme upper end portion of the separating-shoe.

With these and many other objects in view, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

The essentialorfundamental features of the invention are necessarily susceptible to modification without departing from the spirit or scope thereof; but the preferred embodiment of the improvements is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which' Figure l is a perspective view of a separating and grading machine constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig.2 is a vertical longitudinal sectionalview thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. etisasimilar view on the line 4 4: of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is adetail in perspective of the vibratory feed-pan for distributing the stock from the hopper.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying outthe invention the working parts of the machine are supported by a suitable frame 1, which is preferably of a skeleton formation and essentially consists of the oppositely-located base-sills 2, corner-posts 3, arising from the base-sills, top cross-bars 4, connecting the upper ends of the oppositelylocated pairs of corner-posts, and longitudinal top stringers 5, connecting the oppositely located top cross-bars 4., preferably inside of the plane of the corner-posts 3,110 provide an exceptionally strong and thoroughly-braced frame structure. To secure the parts of the frame more firmly together, there may be employed a series of tie-rods 6, arranged at the inner sides of the corner-posts 3 and bolted, respectively, through the base-sills 2 and the top cross-bars 4 thereabove, and the upper bolted ends of the said tie-rods 6 may be arranged to pass through the ends of the top stringers 5, connected to the top cross-bars 4. In addition to the elements specified suitable braces may be associated with the frame at such points as may be found necessary to strengthen the same; but it will of course be understood that the manner of assembling the frame members and the precise construction of the frame itself may be varied without affecting the working parts of the machine, although it is desirable thata frame of suitable strength and rigidity be employed to support the different. parts.

The skeleton frame 1 is of a general rectangular shape, being of a considerably greater length than width, and is designed to accommodate Within the same the separatingshoe 7. The separating-shoe 7 extends longitudinally within the supporting-frame 1 from end to end of the latter and is yieldingly sustained in operative position therein by means of yielding supports 8, preferably in the form of springstraps, secured fast at their lower ends, as at 9, to theinn'er sides of the frame and at their upper ends, as at 10, to the outer sides of the shoe 7. The said spring supporting-strips 8 are preferably located at or near the corners ing-shoe 7 is preferably in the form of an open rectangular pan which is longitudinally inclined and is provided above its main imperforate bottom or bottom plate 11 with a false screen-floor 12. The false screen-floor 12 extends longitudinally of the shoe-body riea'rly the entire length thereof and terminates at the point 13 short of the extreme lower end of the pan-body to leave within said lower end 1 a discharge-pocket 14 for the tailing's or -unseparated matter, which finds escape fro in the j said pocket through the tailings-ope'ning 15 in the lower end wall of the shoe.

An important featureof the presentinven- 7 tion resides in having the screen-floor c'ros'ssectionally c'onca'ved throughout its entire length from side to side of the shoe-body,

thereby prov'iding what may he properly,

termed a longitudi'nally-depre'ssed gutter 16, running centrally'of the floor 12 in a longitudinal direction, so that the stock will maintainfa general running direction longitudinallyofthe Shoe by reason of te'ndin'gto ,follow the gutter. This formation of the screen-floor also facilitates the spreading of the stock in a manner to be {presently'explained; but at thisp'o'int it isfto be'no'tedfthat v the said screen-floor 12 is made up'of a series;

of separate sieve-sections 12, 1'2", and 12 1 which are respectively of different meshand 1 are longitudinally alinedfto constitute sub-f "stantially flush portidn's of 'the'comple te'sep'? arating floor.

purpose of "separating the stoc'k into as many i Tb ld f e one s r enfloor into a pl'uralit'yof sieve-sections is for the grades of meal and grist asjdesired, or, inf fact, to separate anygrain'treated in the machine into the proper number of grades, and in order to maintaina complete separation of the different grades of stock from each other'there is inclosed between the screen-i floor and the main bottom 11 of the shoejag series of partitionedreceivin gtompmments 1 17, 18 and 19, respectively, which aireise parate bytransversepartitien piece's 2 0, interposed betwee'n' the screen-floor andthe main tar an] of the s oe, and said receiVing-"fc-Ompert ent; are arranged, respectively, between the sieve-"section 12 12 and 129 toindi' \ridiiallyfrece ive the portions of the stock pass p thqiethmng Atthelowermost'end attach or the'r civingcom artments 17,18,

and latte "main bottom bottom plate 11 has formed therein a transverse dischargetrough 21, each of said discharge-troughs being longitudinally inclined and provided at the open end thereof, at one side of the shoe 7, with a spout extension 22, which loosely overhangs the upper receiving end of the fixed delivery-chute 23, suitably mounted on the exterior of the frame 1, at one side thereof, and adapted to deliver the grade of stock received therein into the bag, barrel, or other receptacle which may be placed therebeneath. Each of the said fixed delivery-chutes 23 may be conveniently fitted with a cut-off slide 24:, Working through a suitable slide-opening 25 in the outer side of the shoe and adapted to cut 0E the flow of material thercthrongh during the removal and replacing of the bag or other receptacle to be filled.

As already explained, there is 'adischargetrough 21 foreaeh of the compartments 17, 1S, and 19, and there is also a fixed exterior delivery-chute 23 associated with each of the said troughs 21, and in order to provide for the proper cleaning of the grades of stock which pass overthe first sieve-section 12 and are separated out respectively into the compartments 18 and 19 the delivery-chutes 23 for such compartments are preferably fitted directlyto draft-fines 26. In theembodiment of the invention shownin the drawings a ipair of the draft-fines 26 are employed, and although it is immaterial in which direction th'esedraft-flues run thecdnvenieiitjarran'gemen's tltie'i' eof is the one shown in the drawings, which consists in disposing the pair of titles 26 in an upright position upon the frame 1, atone side thereof, so as to extend above the chutes 23 for the compartments 18 and 19, toca'usean'iipward draft of air through said chutes as the grain or 'stock falls t'hereing the grain and stock passing "through said "chutesfand carrying all light foreign matter upward in'to't'he casing 27 of a common cleaning-fan 28. The separate draft fiiies 26 are connected, respectively, with the opposite inlet-eye's of the fan-casing 27, and. the said casing is further provided with adischargetrunk 29, which 'm ay'be'conveniently supported transversely on top of the machine-frame 1 and which iiiay'extend toany'desi'redpoint within'or outside of the "building, according to the point of deposit for the-matter separated from the grain'o'r stock by the air-current's. z To provide for controlling the'draft of air hrttg meet-ices 23, with which the draft-fines 26 are associated,*eachof the said d raft-tides has inountedther'ein 'acohtrolli'iigvalve 30, havin an exterior "operating-handie 31 working over a segment upon the 'exterior'ofjt'he dm'a flues "to providecon'venient m answherbythe valve ma be opened 'orclesed orsetat any desired position, as the requirements of the'work maydem'aliid. Any equivalent'device, of course, may be sii bstituted for the forihof controlling-valve illustratedtoeffect the desired'result. w

The necessarylateral vibration or shaking through thus providing 'for'th omu-ghl'y ,cle'a'nmotion is imparted to the shoe 7 through the medium of a pair of pitmen 33, pivotally connected at one end, as at 34, to one side of the shoe-body, respectively near the opposite ends thereof, and connected at their outer ends with the crank portions 35 of the main drive-shaft 36,'arranged longitudinally of the machine-frame, at one side thereof, and journaled in suitable bearings 37, fitted to the frame. The said main drive-shaft 36 is provided with a belt-pulley 38 to receive the driving-belt and also hasfitted on the opposite ends thereof additional belt pulleys or wheels 39 and 40, respectively, the pulley 39 receiving thereover a belt 41, which also passes over a pulley 42 on one end of the fanshaft 43, which is arranged at the top of the machine frame, opposite the main driveshaft 36, and connects with the cleaning-fan 28, so that motion may be transmitted to said fan from the drive-shaft. The said other pulley at one end of the main drive-shaft 36 imparts motion to a belt 44, also passing over a pulley 45 on one end of the counter-shaft 46. This counter-shaft 46 is journaled in suitable bearings at the top of the machineframe and is provided at an intermediate point with a crank 47, to which is connected one end of a pitman 48, the other end of which pitman is pivotally connected at the point 49 to the upper end of the oscillatory standard 50 of the transversely-oscillating spreader 51. The said standard 50 is pivotally supported intermediate its ends, as at 52, upon a stationary cross-bar 53 at the top of the machine-frame, and at its lower end, beneath the pivotal support thereof, the said standard 50 has fitted thereto the spreader 51, which is in the form of a flat blade disposed longitudinally of the screen-floor of the shoe and arranged to play over the first sieve-section 12 thereof, which section of the screenfloor is of the finest mesh, the other succeeding sections being progressively of a larger mesh, as will be well understood by those fa miliar with the art. The transversely-oscillating spreader-blade 51 works in close proximity to the first sieve-section 12 of the shoe and has attached to the lower edge thereof a flexible scraper-strip 54, of leather or equivalent material, which contacts with and rubs over the surface of the screen-floor, and thereby serves to maintain the meshes thereof clean and free from clogs, while at the same time the lateral oscillation of the spreader-blade serves to spread out or distribute the stock over the floor to insure an effective separation thereof. By reason of the operating or counter shaft for the spreader being belted directly to the main drive-shaft 36 the cranks of the drive and counter shafts may be arranged so that the separating-shoe and the spreader will simultaneously move in opposite directions, and this relative movement is maintained du ring the operation of the machine to secure the action referred to.

The stock to be separated and cleaned is evenly distributed into the upper or higher end of the separating-shoe 7 by means of the laterally-vibrating feed-pan 55, which feed pan is arranged to work beneath the lower open side of a flaring hopper 56, sustained in a stationary and elevated position above the top of the machine, at one end thereof, by means of suitable supports or brackets 57, attaehedto the sides thereof and also to the contiguous top portions of the machine-frame. The stationary elevated hopper 56 is provided at one bottom edge thereof with a feed-opening 58, which is covered and uncovered by means of the regulatingslide 59, adjustably mounted upon the exterior of the hopper 56, to provide means for regulating the flow of the stock from the hopper through the opening 58. The said laterally-vibrating feed-pan practically forms a movable bottom for the hopper 56 and essentially consists of a flat floor 60, provided with an upwardly-flaring peripheral flange 61, which prevents the material from working off at the edges of the floor, while at the same time serving to hold within the feed-pan a suficiently large amount of stock for maintaining the proper feed to the separating-shoe. At one side of the plane of the feed-opening of the hopper thesaid pan is provided in the floor thereof with one or a plurality of discharge-openings 62, through which the stock works and is delivered directly into the upper end of the shoe 7 upon the first or finest sieve-section 12 thereof. In order to impart the necessary lateral vibration to the pan 55 to secure an even distribution of the material or stock, the said pan is loosely hung at one end within a pendent hanger-loop 63, attached to and suspended from the hopper 56, and at its opposite end the pan-body is provided with a shaker-arm 64, having an opening therein, which loosely receives the upper end of the actuating-stem 66, rigid with and extend ed from the u pper end of the laterally vibrating or shaking shoe 7, so that the movement of this shoe will be imparted to the pan 55. The latter has a sufficient inclination toward its connection with the actuating-stem 66 to insure the working of the stock toward and out from the discharge-opening 62.

While a specific relation of the different parts of the machine has already been de scribed, it will be understood that any proper working relation thereof may be utilized in carrying out the invention. Forinstance,the fancasing and the draft-flue connections therewith may bearranged beneath the separatingshoe or otherwise suitably associated with the delivery-chutes 23 to secure the operation already described. Furthermore, there may be utilized in connection with the chutes 23a suitable elevator to take up the material as high as desired from the machine, and also, if found desirable, an ordinary type of elevator or conveyer may be utilized in connec- IOG tion withthe last delivery-chute 23 to convey the cracked corn back to the corn-mill to be reground.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described grain cleaning and separating machine will be readily apparent to those familiar with theart without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the class described, a longitudinally inclined shaking separatingshoe having at the top a cross-sectionally-concaved screen-floor extending longitudinally thereof, an oscillatoryspreader supported independently of the shoe in a'plane above the same and having a sweep overthetop screenfloor, and means on the machine for automatically oscillating the shoe.

2. In a machine of the class described, a longitudinally-inclined vibratory separatingshoe provided with a cross-sectionally-concaved screen-floor, an oscillatory spreading device supported independently of and contrally above the shoe'and means on the machine for driving the spreading device back and forth transversely over said floor, and equidistantly from the center thereof in opposite directions, substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine of the class'described, a vibratory separatingshoe provided with a transversely-concavedscreen-floor, an oscillatory spreading device supported entirely ina dependent of the shoe in a plane above the same and sweeping transversely across the floor thereof, and mechanism for simultaneously actuating the shoe and spreading device in opposite directions.

4. In a machine-of the class described, a separating shoe having a transversely concaved screen-floor, a spreading device supported entirely independent of the shoe in a plane above the same and comprising an oscillatory standard, and a spreader-blade carried by said standard and disposed longitudinally of said floor, said blade having a sweep transversely of the floor and carrying a flexible scraper-strip, and means for simultaneously and automatically vibrating the shoe and oscillating the scraper in opposite directions.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the laterally-vibratin g separating-shoe, of a stationary hopper having at one side a slid e-controlled feed-opening, a laterally-vibrating oscillatory feedpan loosely suspended at one end beneath the hopper and provided with a continuous surrounding upstandingflange and with bottom dischargeopenings contiguous to the feed-opening of the hopper, said pan being provided at one end with a vibratory shaker-arm, and an actuating-stern rigid with the shoe and having an operative connectionwith said shaker-arm, substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a separating-shoe having a screen-floor, of a stationary hopper having an open bottom and a vibratory feeding-pan having inclosing side portions and arranged to constitute a shaking-bottom for the hopper,

said pan having discharge-openings for delivering the stock into the receiving end of the shoe.

7, In a machine of the class described, the combination with a laterally-vibrating separating-shoe, of a stationary hopper supported above the receiving end of the shoe and having a pendent hanger, and a laterally-vibrating feed-pan having inclosing side portions arranged-to constitute a shaking-bottom for the hopper, said feed-pan having one end loosely menu-ted in said hanger'and its other end connected with the shoe to receive motion therefrom.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two. witnesses.

JULIUS SIDNEY J QRDAN. Witnesses:

J. G. PADGETT, F. F. HERNDON. 

